BOSTON -- Claude Julien, one of the NHL's most highly regarded coaches, was fired by the Boston Bruins after weeks of rumors regarding his job status.
Assistant coach Bruce Cassidy takes over as interim head coach, the team announced.
The firing comes after weeks of speculation that not everyone was on the same page within the Bruins organization and a coaching change was forthcoming.
Julien took over the Bruins in June 2007 and in 2011 led the team to its first Stanley Cup since 1972 with a seven-game triumph over Vancouver. He guided the Bruins to a another Cup finals in 2013, losing to the Chicago Blackhawks in six games. Julien, in his 10th season with the Bruins, had been the longest-tenured active head coach in the NHL.
Julien's firing leaves Chicago's Joel Quenneville as the longest- tenured coach in the league. He was hired in 2008.
Julien, who won the Jack Adams Trophy as coach of the year in 2008-09, has a year and a half left on his contract paying him $2.5 million this season and $3 million next year, a source told ESPN.com.
Bruins GM Don Sweeney inherited Julien when he joined the organization two years ago, and despite speculation that he might hire his own coach, Sweeney decided to keep Julien on.
Julien's last game behind the bench was Saturday's wild 6-5 loss to the visiting Toronto Maple Leafs. The Bruins sit just outside the playoff bubble at 26-23-6, tied with Toronto at 58 points but having played four more games than the Leafs.
Julien was also part of Mike Babcock's coaching staff for Canada's victorious teams at the 2014 Sochi Olympics and the World Cup of Hockey in September.
Julien is the fourth NHL coach to be fired this season, joining Ken Hitchcock (St. Louis Blues), Gerard Gallant (Florida Panthers) and Jack Capuano (New York Islanders).
